Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Justin Lawrence
The first round began. Lawrence lands a nice high side kick early and a nice counter left hook that wobbles Sanchez early. Lands another high side kick to the face. Tries a high front kick. Lawrence lands a right to the body, misses a left up high, blocks a high kick himself. 4:00. Lawrence lands a right. Sanchez plodding forward. Lawrence blocks a hard high kick. Sanchez just following him around. 3:00. Lawrence front kicks the body, lands a right. Sanchez lands a good leg kick. More of that, please! Lawrence lands a counter right. And another right. And a good one-two. Lawrence lands a good right. 2:00. Sanchez lands an inside kick. Sanchez lands a good high knee. "Breathe Justin!" Lawrence lands a beautiful counter right left to the body, left up high a few seconds later. Clinch. Sanchez knees both legs. 1:00. Lawrence knees the body. 35. Sanchez lands a left elbow to the thigh. "Take him down!" 15. Lawrence breaks with a right. R1 ends, 10-9 Lawrence clearly. R2 began. Lawrence lands a right and a left combo. And a left to the body. Sanchez grazes a high kick. Lawrence's head movement and footwork are beautiful. Sanchez lands an inside kick, Lawrence lands a short left. 4:00. "Takedown!" Lawrence lands a right, eats a leg kick. Sanchez lands a right, clinch. 3:00. Lawrence knees the body. Another knee. Sanchez cut over the left eye. He works a single. "Cut on Sanchez," Big John calls out, "over the eye from a punch." 2:00. They trade knees to the body. Sanchez landing a bit more. Lawrence looks at the clock, shrugs frustrated. Ref breaks them up, crowd cheers, 1:00. Lawrence lands a right. Front kciks the face, lands a right and another, eats a knee to the body meanwhile. Sanchez misses a spinning kick by a mile. 35. "Don't load up!" Lawrence easily slips a high kick, lands a left to the body, eats a knee to the head, blocks a high kick. 15. Sanchez rocks him with a high kick, clinch. Knees the head, break. Lawrence is wobbly! R2 ends, 10-9 Lawrence but that was almost a huge comeback. R3 began and they touch gloves. Sanchez working a single. Sanchez knees the leg. 4:00. A few more. Sanchez working a double, gets it! Lawrence briefly stands, Sanchez gets the back and drags him back down, Lawrence turns on top to guard. 3:00. Lawrence going body head with lefts. Sanchez telegraphing triangle attempts. Sanchez landing a few right elbows from the bottom. Sanchez thinking kimura. Loses it. 2:00. "Cut on Lawrence due to a punch." Sanchez lands three left elbows from the bottom, two right elbows, three left elbows, two or three more. Four right elbows. Sanchez going for a triangle. Loses it. I think Lawrence is tired.. Sanchez working to stand. Rolls for a kneebar. 1:00. Transitions for a kimura, scramble. Lawrence lands on top in side control. Knees the head as they stand and break, 30. Sanchez misses a flying knee. Sanchez lands a right, knees the body. 15. Sanchez stalking. Works a double. Then a single. R3 ends, 10-9 Sanchez IMO. 29-28 Lawrence IMO, could easily be 29-28 Sanchez, probably a split. Lol Sanchez checks his face in the big screen as they await the decision.. 29-28 split for.. Sanchez. Wow. I disagree to be honest but it was close. "Give it up for Justin. He was a professional when I was still an amateur."